TED ÇORUM COLLEGE / 11-A
The Journey of Knowing Myself
Ada KILIÇARSLAN ‣
“ The only constant in life is change,” said Heraclitus. Everything changes: our lives, beliefs, dreams. Especially us. Teenagers. We change, maybe more than we ever will again. No, I am not talking about how tall we have become. And no, I am not talking about how your face sometimes feels unfamiliar. Those are big changes, of course. But the biggest change happens inside us.
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I had always been told that my teenage years would be the time when I would finally get to know who I really was. But once I became a teenager, I realized that I was obsessed with my appearance. Why? Because I started caring too much about what people thought of me.
Then, on a quiet Saturday evening, it hit me. I did not know who I was. Was I funny? Boring? Quiet? Cheerful? I had no idea. Constantly worrying about others’ opinions meant something far more serious: I was losing my own thoughts. My personality. The way I handled situations and feelings, even quiet mornings alone.
I realized I was losing myself, and I felt lost. Lost in the middle of a storm, with memories, opinions, and old beliefs flooding my mind. Yet it did not take long to understand something important: this was meant to happen. This confusion was the beginning of truly knowing myself.
Now, as I sit in my room and look back at that moment, I can say that I am proud. I am still young, and I still have so much to discover, but I no longer feel lost. I feel at home.
This journey has taught me one thing: knowing yourself is never about reaching a final answer. It is about the journey, the moments of doubt, and the growth along the way. We always change, just like everything around us.